Two Japanese Infant formulae found to have low biotin level

Issue Date 16.11.2012
Source of Information

Centre for Food Safety

Food Product

Infant Formula

Product Name and Description

Product Name: Meiji (0 – 12 months)
Manufacturer: Meiji Co, Ltd
Place of Origin: Japan
Net weight: 850 grams
Best before date: October 17, 2013
Batch: 11:33/10A

Another infant formula, the Wakodo (850 grams/can) which was detected to have low iodine level, was taken off-shelf.

Picture shown below is Meiji (0 – 12 months)

Reason For Issuing Alert

Testing results showed that the concerned infant formulae have biotin level below the standard of Codex Alimentarius Commission but complies with the Japanese standard.

Overt dietary biotin deficiency is rare and it has not occurred in breastfed infants. But if infants between zero and six months old solely rely on the product for intake of biotin, adverse health effects cannot be ruled out. Biotin-deficient infants may show symptoms like hair loss, skin rash, hypotonia and lethargy.

Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety

The CFS has notified the trade of the test results

Advice to the Trade

Stop selling the affected products.

Advice to Consumers

Those who have purchased the concerned products should stop feeding their infants with them and switch to other infant formulae or consider breastfeeding.

If parents who have fed their infants with the products mentioned above have doubts about their infants' health, they should consult medical professionals.

Since there is no agent nor dedicated importer for the product, members of the public can enquire with the retail outlets where they bought the product if there is any recall arrangement.

Further Information

The CFS press release

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
2012-11-16

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